@article{Butt_Khan_Suleman_2020, title={Occurrence of possible drug related interactions in medical patients in out-patient departments of Pakistan}, volume={9}, url={https://www.ijbcp.com/index.php/ijbcp/article/view/4322}, DOI={10.18203/2319-2003.ijbcp20204086}, abstractNote={<p><strong>Background: </strong>Data regarding occurrence of drug-drug interactions in Pakistan is rare. In the current study, we have tried to find out the clinical adversity and frequency witnessed in prescriptions of a medical outpatient department.</p><p><strong>Methods:</strong> Patient prescriptions were analyzed for potential drug-drug interactions.  A sample of 364 patients, visited outpatient department who were being prescribed at least two drugs simultaneously using a drug interaction program website.</p><p><strong>Results:</strong> The 364 patients (72.8% male, mean age 57.9±15.2 years) were prescribed a median of six drugs (range 2-13) at OPD visit. Three hundred forty nine patients (95.8%) had at least one potentially interacting drug combination. 2636 potential interactions were seen in the visiting patients. Out of these 124 (4.7%) were of major severity, 1730 (65.6%) moderate and 515 (19.5%). Out of 124 patients with a potential DDI with major severity, no patient was re-hospitalized within 2 months after discharge due to a probable drug-related problem associated with the potential DDI.</p><p><strong>Conclusions:</strong> A large percentage of patients were detected having one or more potential drug-drug interactions, using drug interaction detection program. However, the percentage of patients having clinically adverse consequences due to drug-drug interactions appears to be very low.</p>}, number={10}, journal={International Journal of Basic & Clinical Pharmacology}, author={Butt, Hammad A. and Khan, Ammara and Suleman, Naveed}, year={2020}, month={Sep.}, pages={1503–1508} }